If you pass through Jalan Raya Tenggilis or Jalan Telaga Utama Citraland in Surabaya, you must have passed a restaurant with a green and white color palette with a sign that says “Poenya Nyonya Anina”. With the tagline “Sajian Nusantara yang Ingatkan Kau Akan Rumah dan Keluarga” – Indonesian cuisine that will remind you of home and family , Poenya Nyonya Anina wraps its menu with a family nuance that is increasingly rare to find in big cities like Surabaya.
Pable had the opportunity to dig into the story of Poenya Nyonya Anina from the owner, Alesya or Echa. Echa welcomed us as warmly as the atmosphere of her restaurant, and sat down with us to share her story. Echa, a young entrepreneur born in 1999, admitted that she had cultivated her entrepreneurial spirit since she was young, when she was still in elementary school. Her experience selling things at school indirectly raised her enthusiasm to then enter the FnB world when she became an adult. Initially, Echa and her family opened Poenya Nyonya Anina on the terrace of a shophouse in G-walk Surabaya. Starting from a small plot with only eight tables, Poenya Nyonya Anina faced various challenges like other FnB businesses, and managed to survive until now, having two strategic locations on Jalan Raya Tenggilis and Citraland.
This success was not without struggle, of course. The consistency and dedication of Echa and her family to the values they hold dear were the deciding factor.
Compassionate
From the concept of the restaurant, the naming of the menu, to the relationship with the workers, everything is based on the values of love and family. The name Poenya Nyonya Anina itself comes from her mother, Anina, which in addition to symbolizing that PNA was founded on the reflection of the mother’s kindness, this name is also unique because it is a palindrome –a word that when read backwards remains the same. The choice of the mother’s name was also not without purpose. Nyonya Anina herself has various family recipes that colored Echa and her siblings’ childhood; for example, the nasi ulam that her mother used to prepare after school by public transportation. These memories are what made Echa feel that her restaurant needed to be built from the same sentiment; love and family. The naming of the menu, Echa explained, also came from her family’s personal experiences, such as how Nasi Campur Bapak was created from the name of her father’s favorite nasi campur consisting of rice, koya fried chicken, and boiled vegetables. Although PNA initially created an image as a West Javanese restaurant, Echa realized that there were too many twists and personal touches in her menus so she changed the image. In addition, PNA always treats its workers humanely, so it is not uncommon for workers at PNA to stay for years and PNA witnesses their individual development. An example is Intan who started as a waitress, and is now the General Assistant Manager at PNA. According to Echa, business is not always about profit. It is an advantage and happiness in itself if she can accompany her workers and be a witness and supporter of them achieving new milestones in life.
People-oriented
Starting from the family values, Echa is determined to make her guests feel the connection she is trying to build. She instills in her employees from the kitchen to the waitresses, that the customer experience must be prioritized from the time they sit down until they leave the restaurant. If there is criticism and input on the menu or anything, Echa will accept it and process the criticism until it is in accordance with what the customer wants. This is a continuous process.
Selling point yang organik
One thing that Echa is always grateful for when interviewed by Pable, is how God seems to have outlined her life and family for Poenya Nyonya Anina. Something that her family has, which according to Echa can be told endlessly, is a unique selling point that is organic and not made up. The entire menu has a real background story, each concept has been thought through carefully including the name, logo, and others. This allows PNA to serve dishes that are not only high quality, but also warm and full of meaning.
Timeless
Poenya Nyonya Anina designed her business on similar foundations as Pable; values that come from the heart. Profit is certainly still a consideration, but the ultimate goal is more than that. Building a business that is not only oriented towards profit but also the warmth of human connection as a means of delivering goodness, produces happiness that cannot be measured by any currency.
